Refrigeration appliance with water dispenser

ABSTRACT

A refrigeration appliance includes a storage chamber enclosed by a thermally insulating wall and a water dispenser which has an outlet disposed at an inner face of the wall. The outlet is connected by a movable line segment to a line installed in a fixed position in the wall.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2015 212 340.5, filed Jul. 1, 2015; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a refrigeration appliance, in particular a domestic refrigeration appliance, with an integrated dispenser for chilled water.

In many such refrigeration appliances an outlet of a water dispenser is positioned on the outside of the refrigeration appliance, in order to allow cold water to be drawn off without the door of a storage chamber of the appliance having to be opened for that purpose, allowing warm air to enter the storage chamber. Since the only outer surface that is reliably accessible on a domestic refrigeration appliance during operation is the door, the water dispenser is generally integrated in the door and a water line must be run from the body through a hinge into the door which is hinged to the body in order to supply it. Such an implementation is complex to integrate and, because its parts move against one another each time the door is opened, it can become prone to leakage over time.

A lower cost configuration that tends to produce fewer leaks is to position the water dispenser on an inner face of a wall enclosing the storage chamber of the refrigeration appliance, so that the water dispenser has to be accessed from the storage chamber. However, that raises the problem that integrated structures which are present, for example chilled goods holders in the body or shelves in the door, generally impede access to the inner face of the wall and only a few points on the inner face of the wall are accessible enough to allow easy positioning of a container to be filled at that location.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,682 B1 discloses a refrigeration appliance having a storage chamber enclosed by a thermally insulating wall and having a water dispenser, which has an outlet disposed on an inner face of the wall. More specifically the outlet is located on the inner face of a side wall of the refrigeration appliance body not far from the front edges of chilled goods holders which extend through the storage chamber between the side walls. The shorter the distance between the outlet and the front edges of the chilled goods holders, the smaller the diameter of a round vessel has to be so that it can be positioned below the outlet and filled. The distance from the front edges of the chilled goods holders cannot be arbitrary however, since otherwise the outlet projecting beyond the inner face of the wall would impede the closing of the door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a refrigeration appliance with an internal water dispenser, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known appliances of this general type and which allows even large containers to be filled without any problems.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a refrigeration appliance comprising a storage chamber enclosed by a thermally insulating wall and a water dispenser having an outlet disposed at an inner face of the wall, the outlet being connected to a line running in a fixed position in the wall by way of a movable line segment. Thus, when a large container has to be filled, the outlet can be pulled away from the wall and positioned over the container.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the movable line segment is preferably a hose. Alternatively, it can also be made up of telescopic pipe pieces or it can be connected to the line running in a fixed position by using a ball joint.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, in the latter case an adapter, which forms a fixed part of the ball joint, can be anchored in an opening of the water dispenser in the manner of a bayonet coupling by using radially protruding projections engaging in latching notches.

In accordance with an added feature of the invention, in order to simplify the assembly of the refrigeration appliance, the movable line segment can be formed as a single part with the line running in a fixed position.

In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, a mounting to which the outlet can be fastened temporarily can be formed on the inner face of the wall. Since the mounting defines a rest position of the outlet which is outside the closing region of the door, it can be ensured that the outlet does not impede the closing of the door, even though it could engage in the closing region of the door and block it when detached from the mounting to allow a container to be filled.

In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, the outlet can be held on an arm that protrudes at least temporarily from the wall so that a user does not have to hold it when filling a container. The length of such an arm can be varied telescopically or by using a scissor mechanism.

In accordance with yet a further preferred feature of the invention, the arm can be pivoted about an axis parallel to the wall in order to hold the outlet in a suitable position for filling a large container either close to or at a distance from the wall.

In accordance with yet an added feature of the invention, a cutout for receiving the movable line segment and also the arm, if present, can be formed on the inner face of the wall.

In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention that is preferred because of its simple structure, the movable line segment can have a hairpin-shaped profile in the cutout in the rest position. When the outlet is pulled away from the wall to allow a container to be filled, at least part of the movable line segment can be pulled out of the cutout in the process.

In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the cutout can be closed at a longitudinal face facing the storage chamber and open at an end face so that the movable line segment can be pulled out of the cutout by way of its end face.

In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, an operating element for allowing water to be dispensed can be disposed on the outlet, so that a user holding the outlet with one hand can also actuate the operating element with the same hand. The other hand is then free to hold the container to be filled, for example.

In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, an operating element for allowing water to be dispensed can also be actuated by a force, in particular a tensile force, applied to the movable line segment.

In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, if, as mentioned above, an arm is provided to hold the outlet, an operating element for allowing water to be dispensed can also be actuated by a movement of the arm.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a refrigeration appliance with a water dispenser, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, front-elevational view of a refrigeration appliance according to the invention with open doors, as well as enlarged views of the refrigeration appliance, one with an outlet in a rest position and another with an outlet moved out of the rest position and filling a container;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view running vertically and in the depthwise direction through a side wall of the refrigeration appliance housing of FIG. 1 in which the outlet is located;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along a plane III-III of FIG. 2, in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the side wall of the refrigeration appliance housing according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through the side wall of the refrigeration appliance housing according to a third embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the side wall according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through the side wall according to a fifth embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the side wall according to a sixth embodiment with the door open;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the same plane as in FIG. 8 with the door closed;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a water dispenser according to a seventh embodiment; and

FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 are perspective views showing steps in an assembly of the water dispenser of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a front view of a domestic refrigeration appliance with a body 1 having side walls 2, 3 and two doors 4, 5 hinged to the side walls. The doors 4, 5 are shown in the open position, exposing a storage chamber in the interior of the appliance. In the case shown herein, the doors 4, 5 together close off a single storage chamber 6. The invention can, of course, also be transferred to refrigeration appliances with a single door or to refrigeration appliances in which each door closes off a separate storage chamber.

The storage chamber 6 is divided into a number of compartments by a pull-out box 7 and by chilled goods holders or compartment bases 8 that are supported on the side walls 2, 3 and can be inserted at different heights. The pull-out box 7 and the compartment bases 8 do not extend to a front edge of the side walls 2, 3, so that when the doors 4, 5 are in the closed position there is also space in the storage chamber 6 for door shelves 9 projecting inward from the doors 4, 5 without them striking the pull-out box 7 or the compartment bases 8. When the doors 4, 5 are in the closed position, a space extends between the front edges of the compartment bases 8 on one hand and the edges of the door shelves 9 facing away from the door on the other hand, over the entire height of the storage chamber 6. An outlet 10 of a water dispenser projects from the side wall 2 into this space.

The lower part of FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic enlarged view of the outlet 10. A line or pipe is installed in a fixed position by being foamed into place in an insulating foam layer 11 of the side wall 2 in a manner which is known per se. The outlet 10 is joined to the line or pipe by way of a line segment 12 which is held movably in a cutout 13 in the foam layer 11. In the simplest case the fixed line and the movable line segment 12 are formed as a single part from the same flexible plastic hose and the ability of the segment 12 to move is due to the fact that it is not foamed into place.

When the outlet 10 is in the rest position shown in FIG. 2, the line segment 12 runs in the shape of a hairpin within the cutout 13. The cutout 13 is extended in a vertical direction. A longitudinal face facing the storage chamber 6 is closed off by a wall. The line segment 12 is guided out at an upper end of the cutout 13 into a recess 14, in which the outlet 10 is positioned.

When a user grips the outlet 10, lifts it and pulls it sideways away from the side wall 2, the line segment 12 slides out of the cutout 13. If the outlet 10 is held at a sufficient distance from the side wall 2 in this manner, a container 15 of almost any configuration can be filled by way of the outlet 10 as seen in the lower right part of FIG. 1.

In order to facilitate or even bring about a return of the outlet 10 into the recess 14 after the container 15 has been filled, a return force, e.g. of a spring or weight 16, can act on the line segment 12 within the cutout 13, moving the line segment 12 back into the cutout 13 and the outlet 10 back into the recess 14, as soon as the user releases the outlet 10. The shapes of recess 14 and outlet 10 are matched in such a manner that when the outlet 10 is pulled back into the recess 14, it always assumes the same position, which is one that does not impede the closing of the door 4.

FIG. 2 shows a section through the cutout 13 and the recess 14 along a sectional plane running through the side wall 2 vertically and in the depthwise direction of the body 1 and FIG. 3 shows a section along the sectional plane extending vertically and in the widthwise direction of the body 1 indicated as III-III in FIG. 2. A depression is formed in an inner container 17 separating the storage chamber 6 from the foam layer 11, forming both the cutout 13 for the movable line segment 12 and the recess 14 for the outlet 10 in this case. The depression can be deep-drawn in the inner container 17. However, it can also be a separately manufactured part inserted into an opening cut into the inner container 17. An injection-molded part made of plastic, which is latched in a fixed manner in the cutout 13, forms both a vertical separating wall 18 between the cutout 13 and the storage chamber 6 and a horizontal separating wall 19 between the cutout 13 and the recess 14. A hole 20, through which the line segment 12 extends, is cut out of the horizontal separating wall 19. For simpler handling, the outlet 10 is embedded into a body 34, which in this case is cuboid in shape and is held with a form-locking or frictional fit between the side walls of the recess 14. The same hose that also forms the movable line segment 12 extends through the body 34.

When a user lifts the body 34 and then pulls it out of the recess 14, the movable line segment 12 is also pulled out of the cutout 13 by way of the hole 20, thereby coming into contact with a switch 21. If the line segment 12 is tightly tensioned, it actuates the switch 21 and a solenoid valve (not shown) controlled by the switch 21 opens so that water is dispensed by way of the line segment 12 and the outlet 10. As soon as the user releases the outlet 10 and the line segment 12 is no longer tensioned, it moves away from the switch 21 and the solenoid valve closes again.

Since the outlet 10 is not moved outside the recess 14, the user can position it completely freely within the limits predefined by the length of the movable line segment 12, allowing containers of almost any shape to be filled in this manner. It is possible in particular to place a container on one of the compartment bases 8 and then pull the outlet 10 over the container. The container can thus be filled with just one hand.

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic section through part of the side wall 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The line or pipe which is held in a fixed position within the foam layer 11 is indicated by reference numeral 22 in this case and extends directly up to the inner container 17 or, as shown, even through a wall opening 23 in the inner container 17. A pipe segment 25 is held in a straight end segment 24 of the fixed line 22, with its end facing away from the flow forming the outlet 10. Unlike the hose in the embodiment in FIGS. 1-3 the pipe segment 25 is formed from a rigid plastic but like that hose it forms the movable line segment 12. FIG. 4 shows the outlet 10 in a stop position adjacent the side wall 2. In order to fill a bulky container the pipe segment 25 can be pulled forward until flanges 26, 27 of the end segment 24 and of the movable pipe segment 25 meet.

A reset spring can also be provided in this case, moving the movable pipe segment 25 back into the rest position shown in FIG. 4 when not in use. The reset spring can be disposed, for example, in the manner of a helical spring around the movable pipe segment 25 between the flanges 26, 27.

A switch can also be provided to control a solenoid valve, as described above. Such a switch can be actuated for example by contact with the flanges 26, 27. When the reset spring starts to pull the outlet 10 back into the rest position after it has been released, the flanges 26, 27 move away from one another and the switch closes the solenoid valve.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment, in which the movable line segment 12 can again be formed by a hose that is a single piece with the fixed line segment and is guided by a support arm 28 that can be extended into the interior of the storage chamber 6. In the case shown herein the support arm 28 is formed by a scissor mechanism 29, which is made up of a plurality of bars 30 that cross in an articulated manner. One of the two bars 30 acting on a guide rail 31 fastened to the side wall 2 is fixed and the other is hinged so that it can be moved vertically in a slot 32. The hose crosses the inner container 17 in proximity to the fixed articulation and the movable line segment 12 is held in loops 33 in such a manner that it can be displaced longitudinally along the bars 30.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 a cutout 13 extending in the vertical direction is again formed in the foam layer 11 and the inner container 17, and the movable line segment 12 extends in its rest position shown in the figure from an upper end of the cutout 13 in a straight line down to a body 34, which projects from the cutout 13 in proximity to its lower end so that a user can grip it easily. The movable line segment 12 in this case can be made of a relatively rigid, elastically pliable plastic, so that the body 34 can be pulled out of the cutout 13 but returns automatically to its rest position as soon as it is released by the user. A switch 35 for controlling a solenoid valve, which allows water to flow by way of the line, can be positioned on the body 34 so that the user can control the dispensing of the water with the same hand that is holding the body 34.

FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment again in a vertical section through the side wall 2 of the body 1. As in FIG. 6 the movable line segment 12 is formed in the manner of a hose from a pliable plastic but in this case it is concealed behind a cover 40, which can be pivoted out from the recess 14 in the wall 2 about a horizontal axis 41, in order to pull the movable line segment 12 fastened thereto (e.g. by using a bond 42) out of the recess 14 and to be able to position a container to be filled under it.

In order to facilitate the pulling out of the movable line segment 12, the cover 40 can be configured as one arm of a two-arm lever, the second arm 43 of which projects into the storage chamber 6 above the axis 41 so that the line segment 12 can be pulled out of the recess 14 by pushing against the arm 43.

A large button or operating paddle, as is known from water dispensers, is integrated in the conventional manner in the door of the refrigeration appliance and is accessible from the outside of the door. In order to start the filling process, a container to be filled can be pushed against the button or operating paddle which can be disposed on the wall 2 below the recess 14, outside the detail shown in FIG. 7.

Alternatively, a switch 35 can be accommodated in a region of the recess 14 above the axis 41 and can be actuated by the arm 43 when it is pushed into the recess 14. The switch 35 thus allows the same hand that moves the movable line segment 12 out to be used to start the dispensing of water automatically when the movable line segment 12 protrudes far enough into the storage chamber 6.

FIG. 8 shows a horizontal section through the side wall 2 according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. A movable arm 37 is disposed in a cutout 13 on the inner face of the side wall 2 in such a manner that it can be pivoted about a vertical axis 36. The movable arm 37 can be a molded body made of rigid plastic as in FIG. 4, itself forming the movable line segment 12 and being connected to a line or pipe held in a fixed position in the side wall along the axis 36 by way of a rotary union. However, the entire water line can also be formed by a flexible hose in this case, being guided in its movable segment 12 within the arm 37.

FIG. 8 shows the movable arm 37 with continuous lines in an intermediate position moved down between the rest position in the cutout 13 and a stop position, in which it is pivoted forward out from the cutout 13. The arm 37 is stable in the intermediate position. In order to pull it further in the direction of the stop position outlined with a broken line, the counterforce of a spring must be overcome. To this end the container 15 to be filled can be pushed from below against the arm 37, so that a projection forming the outlet 10 and pointing downward engages in the container 15 and the container is then pulled in the direction of the stop position. In the stop position the arm 37 actuates a switch 39 which activates a solenoid valve, as described with reference to FIG. 2, in order to allow water to be dispensed in the stop position.

When the container 15 is full, the arm 37 is released and pivots back into the intermediate position. The switch 39 opens and water dispensing is terminated.

When the door of the refrigeration appliance is closed, in an embodiment preferably having a single door 4 hinged to the side wall of the body 1 (not shown in FIGS. 8 and 9) opposite the side wall 2, a vertically extended spar 38 molded in the standard manner on the inner face of the door 4 and serving to support the door shelves 9, moves into the storage chamber 6. In this process the spar comes up against the movable arm 37 and pivots it back into the cutout 13.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a water dispenser according to a seventh embodiment of the invention. A housing of the water dispenser includes an outer shell 44 facing the foam layer (not shown in the figure) and an inner shell 45 facing the storage chamber 6, which are both connected along a peripheral flange 46. The outer shell engages in an opening in the inner container and is fastened to the inner container along the flange 46, so that an upper part 47 of the inner shell 45 projects into the storage chamber. A longitudinally extended opening 48 is cut out of a lower face of the upper part 47. A space, which adjoins the opening 48 in the interior of the upper part 47, is flanked by walls 49 on two sides. The walls 49 each have a latching notch 50 on their upper edge facing away from the opening 48.

The fixed line 22 passes through an opening on the lower face of the outer shell 44 into the hollow bounded by the outer and inner shells 44, 45 and extends upward therein to a pipe bend 51 that almost describes a semicircle, the downstream end of which is concealed behind one of the walls 49 in FIG. 10. This end is connected by using a plug-type connection in a watertight manner to an adapter 52. The adapter 52 has substantially the configuration of a pipe with two projections 53 engaging in the latching notches 50 at its upper end and a spherically thickened segment 54 at the lower end.

The movable line segment 12 is injection-molded from a rigid plastic in this case like the adapter 52 and includes a pipe segment 55 and a shell 56, which is latched onto the thickened segment 54 of the adapter 52 to form a ball joint 58 that can be pivoted with two degrees of freedom. The movable line segment 12 can be pivoted from the position shown in FIG. 10, in which the movable line segment 12 extends as a roughly straight extension of the adapter 52, toward the inner shell 45 or away from it in order to fill a container.

The adapter 52 and the movable line segment 12 can expediently be supplied as a prefabricated module, already latched to one another, for assembly of the water dispenser. In order to mount the water dispenser, the module is first pushed from below through the opening 52 in the inner shell 45 until the projections 53 extend beyond the upper edges of the walls 49, as shown in FIG. 11 in a perspective internal view of the upper part 47 of the inner shell 45. The length of the adapter 52 can be selected in such a way that, when the thickened segment 54 (not shown in FIG. 11) comes up against the edge of the opening 48 from below, the projections 53 project so far beyond the walls 49 that they rub against the upper edges of the walls 49 when the adapter 52 is rotated about its longitudinal axis. The disappearance of the friction resistance when the latching notches 50 are reached can then be felt in the fingers when the module is mounted.

When the projections 53 reach the latching notches 50, as shown in FIG. 12, they are latched therein, in that the adapter 52 is again pulled some distance out of the opening 48. The configuration shown in FIG. 13 is thus reached. The pipe bend 51 can now be inserted into the adapter 52 from above and can come into contact for sealing purposes with an O ring 57 which is held in a groove on the inner face of the adapter 52. 

1. A refrigeration appliance, comprising: a thermally insulating wall having an inner face; a storage chamber enclosed by said wall; a line installed in a fixed position in said wall; a movable line segment connected to said fixed line; and a water dispenser having an outlet connected to said movable line segment and disposed at said inner face of said wall.
 2. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said movable line segment is a hose.
 3. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said movable line segment includes at least one telescopically movable pipe segment.
 4. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises a ball joint connecting said movable line segment to said fixed line.
 5. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 4, which further comprises an adapter forming a fixed part of said ball joint, said adapter being anchored in an opening of said water dispenser by radially protruding projections engaging in latching notches.
 6. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said movable line segment and said fixed line are formed as a single part.
 7. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises a mounting formed on said inner face of said wall, said outlet being configured to be temporarily fastened to said mounting.
 8. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 7, wherein said mounting is a recess having walls on which said outlet is held with at least one of a form-locking or a frictional connection.
 9. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises an arm protruding at least temporarily from said wall, said outlet being held on said arm.
 10. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, wherein said arm has a length being at least one of telescopically variable or variable by using a scissor mechanism.
 11. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, wherein said arm is pivotable about an axis parallel to said wall.
 12. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, wherein said inner face of said wall has a cutout for receiving said movable line segment.
 13. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said movable line segment has a hairpin-shaped profile being disposed in said cutout in a rest position.
 14. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 12, wherein said cutout has a closed longitudinal face facing said storage chamber and an open end face.
 15. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises an operating element disposed at said outlet for allowing water to be dispensed.
 16. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises an operating element being actuated by a force acting on said movable line segment for allowing water to be dispensed.
 17. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 16, wherein said force is a tensile force.
 18. The refrigeration appliance according to claim 9, which further comprises an operating element being actuated by a movement of said arm for allowing water to be dispensed. 